Irish Cuba?

[99lives]

An idea I was toying around with. In 1844, an epidemic occurs in the Caribbean, and especially Cuba, decimating the slave populations and the cities. It burns out by 1846, leaving many plantations without labor. One landowner in Cuba figures it is cheaper to pay passage for Irish workers to come to his plantations as paid laborers, rather than purchase more slaves, the price of which has risen sharply due to increased demand. His idea is successful, and within a year, other landowners have followed suit. The result is a large chuck (say 35%) of the Irish and Scottish emigration due to the Famine arriving in Cuba and becoming a plurality on the island.

Is this a realistic POD? If so, what effects might arise from this for Cuba, Ireland, and the United States?

 

[Wendell]

An idea I was toying around with. In 1844, an epidemic occurs in the Caribbean, and especially Cuba, decimating the slave populations and the cities. It burns out by 1846, leaving many plantations without labor. One landowner in Cuba figures it is cheaper to pay passage for Irish workers to come to his plantations as paid laborers, rather than purchase more slaves, the price f which has risen sharply diue to increased demand. His idea is successful, and within a year, other landowners have followed suit. The result is a large chuck (say 35%) of the Irish and Scottish emigration due to the Famine arriving in Cuba as paid workers, and becoming a plurality on the island.

Is this a realistic POD? If so, what effects might arise from this for Cuba, Ireland, and the United States?

Ireland is part of the U.K. today, Cuba speaks English, and the U.S. is more German.

 

[Hashasheen]

excellent timeline idea, I'm knighting you as Prior. you staying there is contingent on you actually doing the TL.

 

[catboy637]

I could always go for an Irish Empire or colonies....TL away, good sir!

 

[Fearless Leader]

An idea I was toying around with. In 1844, an epidemic occurs in the Caribbean, and especially Cuba, decimating the slave populations and the cities. It burns out by 1846, leaving many plantations without labor. One landowner in Cuba figures it is cheaper to pay passage for Irish workers to come to his plantations as paid laborers, rather than purchase more slaves, the price of which has risen sharply due to increased demand. His idea is successful, and within a year, other landowners have followed suit. The result is a large chuck (say 35%) of the Irish and Scottish emigration due to the Famine arriving in Cuba and becoming a plurality on the island.

Is this a realistic POD? If so, what effects might arise from this for Cuba, Ireland, and the United States?

The effects of such an epidemic might also spread to the American south causing interesting knock on effects. The economic argument to abolish slavery might gain more traction leading to gradual abolitionism in the South and thereby eliminating the Civil War.

Also without Cuban slavery,the American south would be a lot less likely to want to annex it. Thus no Ostend Manifesto...

 

[Tyr]

Why Irish though?
Spain has lots of poor regions just like the UK has. Moreso even.
Or even Portugal or Italy would be better.

 

[Jord839]

Why Irish though?
Spain has lots of poor regions just like the UK has. Moreso even.
Or even Portugal or Italy would be better.

That's a good point but I think he was leaning towards the potato famine making the Irish move to Cuba in larger numbers(Wasn't it at that time?). But your point is probably true, I can picture the Cubans wanting more people who could speak spanish than they would want the irish.

 

[99lives]

Why Irish though?
Spain has lots of poor regions just like the UK has. Moreso even.
Or even Portugal or Italy would be better.

The Irish Famine is usually given as lasting from 1845-1852, coinciding with the POD. It received international attention. I figured that there were a few factors that would make Irish labor attractive. First, they were a very large labor pool. Second, they would have been willing to work for a very small amount. Third, IIRC, no one wanted to work the Cuban sugarcane plantations. It was seen as one of the most brutal lives in the Caribbean. For the irish fleeing the famine, this would not matter as they are basically being promised passage, food, and employment. In general, the economic advantage of bringing over Irish labor is seen as offsetting any language barrier. And both populations are mostly Catholic, so religion should not be a problem.

I was thinking that this forced advance from slave plantations to the later colonos model of farming, in addition to the cultural influence of a large and, later, influential Irish community, would cause some pretty interesting butterflies. fewer Irish immigrants means fewer industrial workers in the northern U.S. WOuld this impact the Industrial Revolution, or westward expansion? Would this alter the Civil War (if a Civil War does occur) because the Union would have fewer troops and less industrial capacity? Would Cuba, in a generation, start to develop a more industrial or trade based society? I'm hoping to get some possibilities put together soon.

 

[USGrant]

The effects of such an epidemic might also spread to the American south causing interesting knock on effects. The economic argument to abolish slavery might gain more traction leading to gradual abolitionism in the South and thereby eliminating the Civil War.

Also without Cuban slavery,the American south would be a lot less likely to want to annex it. Thus no Ostend Manifesto...

And yet it make make annexation more likely because the North is less likely to oppose it.

 

[Baskilisk]

Interesting concept...Swapping one island for another.
It also makes me wonder, does Britain feel more inclined to pick up this English speaking island into it's empire?
The different language was a big issue for Cuba (albeit not a main issue-see California and New Mexico), so would the USA be more inclined to incorporate it? Granted it did lose its appeal to the south by not having slavery. British Cuba at the USA's southern border and Canada in the north coupled with the Oregon and Aristook crisises, you could see more aggression between them. And would Bitain stop at Cuba? They were close to defying the USA and potentially picking up Yucatan. They never did like the Monroe doctorine (which they unintentionally enforced), and this could set a precedent for other European powers.

 

[Deleted member 1487]

Um, Irish people would not thrive in the tropical climate due to their complexion, so expect a large attrition rate among workers, much as the first European colonists in the new world.